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Photo of Sérgio Mendes

Sérgio Mendes

Actor, Composer
Born February 11, 1941Died September 5, 2024 (83 years)
Sérgio Santos Mendes (born February 11, 1941) is a Brazilian musician. His career took off with worldwide hits by his group Brasil '66. He has over 55 releases and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk.[He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2012 as co-writer of the song "Real in Rio" from the animated film Rio.

Mendes is a unique example of a Brazilian musician primarily known in the United States, where his albums were recorded and where most of his touring took place.

Mendes is married to Gracinha Leporace, who has performed with him since the early 1970s. Mendes has also collaborated with many artists through the years, including The Black Eyed Peas, with whom he re-recorded in 2006 a version of his breakthrough hit "Mas que Nada".

Mendes was born in Niterói, Brazil, the son of a physician. He attended the local conservatory with hopes of becoming a classical pianist. As his interest in jazz grew, he started playing in nightclubs in the late 1950s just as bossa nova, a jazz-inflected derivative of samba, was emerging. Mendes played with Antônio Carlos Jobim (regarded as a mentor) and many U.S. jazz musicians who toured Brazil.

Mendes formed the Sexteto Bossa Rio and recorded Dance Moderno in 1961. Touring Europe and the United States, Mendes recorded albums with Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann and played at the Carnegie Hall. Mendes moved to the U.S. in 1964 and cut two albums under the Sergio Mendes & Brasil '65 group name with Capitol Records and Atlantic Records.

Mendes became full partners with Richard Adler, a Brooklyn-born American who had previously brought Bossa Trés plus two dancers, Joe Bennett and a Brazilian partner, to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1963. He was also accompanied by Jobim; Flavio Ramos, and Aloísio de Oliveira, a record and TV producer from Rio who used to be a member of Carmen Miranda's backing group Bando da Lua. The Musicians Union only allowed this group to appear on one TV show and make one club appearance (Basin Street East) before ordering them to leave the U.S. When the new group Brasil '65 was formed, Shelly Manne, Bud Shank and other West Coast musicians got Mendes and the others into the local musicians union. Adler and Mendes formed Brasil '65, which consisted of Wanda Sá and Rosinha de Valença, as well as the Sergio Mendes Trio. The group recorded albums for Atlantic and Capitol. ...

Source: Article "Sérgio Mendes" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • The Tim Conway Comedy Hour
  • Sergio Mendes in the Key of Joy

Known For

  • Rio

Sérgio Mendes Filmography

2014
Rio 2 · as Street Vendor (voice)
2011
Rio · as Samba School Director (voice)
2005
Be Cool · as Sergio Mendes
1970
The Tim Conway Comedy Hour (TV Series) · as Various
1967
Sullivan's Empire · as Sergio Mendes
1963
Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) · as Pianist In Combo
1948
The Perry Como Show (TV Series) · as Themselves

2025
2023
2021
2020
2020
2018
Le Grand Échiquier (TV Series) · as Self
2017
Conversa com Bial (TV Series) · as Self
2012
The Voice Brasil (TV Series) · as Self
2012
The 84th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee
2012
2009
Lopez Tonight (TV Series) · as Self
2009
Simonal: Ninguém Sabe o Duro que Dei · as Self (archive Footage)
2009
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Musical Guest
2006
Legends (TV Series) · as Self
2006
Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition (TV Series) · as Self
2005
Made In Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self
2004
Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self - Guest
1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Self
1989
Pat Sajak Show (TV Series) · as Self
1983
Thicke of the Night (TV Series) · as Self
1982
Champs-Elysees (TV Series) · as Self
1980
Solid Gold (TV Series) · as Self
1975
Number One (TV Series) · as Self
1974
Dinah! (TV Series) · as Self
1973
Fantástico (TV Series) · as Self
1969
The Engelbert Humperdinck Show (TV Series) · as Self
1969
The Andy Williams Show (1962) (TV Series) · as Self
1969
The Music Scene (TV Series) · as Self - Musical Guest
1969
This is Tom Jones (TV Series) · as Self
1968
The 40th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Performer
1967
Kraft Music Hall (TV Series) · as Self
1967
The Jerry Lewis Show (TV Series) · as Self
1965
Where The Action Is (TV Series) · as Self
1964
The Hollywood Palace (TV Series) · as Self
1963
The Danny Kaye Show (TV Series) · as Self
1962
1962
The Merv Griffin Show (TV Series) · as Self
1961
The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) · as Self
1953
The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self
1952
American Bandstand (TV Series) · as Self
1951
The Red Skelton Show (TV Series) · as Self
1950
The Bob Hope Show (TV Series) · as Self

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